The Saturday after Thanksgiving is a holiday in its own right for the Messenger family, when nearly 40 family members gather for the highly anticipated assembly of Messenger’s Christmas Land. After a hearty breakfast, everyone heads to the warehouse Jeremy Messenger built behind the home he shares with his wife, Annie, and their three children. There, the crew, which hails from as far away as Tennessee, begins unloading and setting up decades-old structures along with newer ones that they have added over the years. “This is our family reunion,” Jeremy says as everyone scatters down the driveway.

Just as The Christmas Song wishes kids from one to 92 a Merry Christmas, kids of all ages come together in the Messenger family to carry on the legacy and tradition that began in 1964.

It all started when Jeremy’s grandfather, Clyde Messenger, Jr., and his six sons—Bobby, Terry, Larry, Donnie, Billy and Timmy—built a nativity scene and displayed it in their front yard for the Christmas season. “We bugged our dad long enough that he let us build something, and then it became this passion for all of us,” says Terry, who still comes every year to help with the setup.

During the year, the warehouse holds over two dozen structures built for the Christmas Land over the decades by family members and friends who have volunteered. But during the Christmas season, it becomes a part of the spectacle, showcasing the timeline of the Christmas Land down the walls like a life-size scrapbook.

“The first display, ‘The Manger Scene’ was built in December 1964,” reads the first plaque. “It is the oldest scene and the only one that has been displayed every year since 1964. After all, this is what Christmas is all about.”

Next came Santa’s Train in 1965 and, in 1969, Santa himself appeared for the first time at Christmas Land as part of the Living Room Display. This volunteer position is filled by a volunteer or family member year after year, night after night, throughout the season.

“The nostalgic feel is more important than anything,” Jeremy says. Now in its 62nd year, many visitors recall the original Christmas Land at his grandparents’ home in Red Oak subdivision and are now bringing their grandchildren, he adds. Jeremy’s father, Clyde Messenger, III, continued the legacy by moving Christmas Land to his home in Plantation Estates in 1992. When the time came for his parents to retire and fulfill their dream of living in Tennessee, Jeremy worried about what would happen to the Christmas classic that had become a staple for countless local families over the decades. That is, until he and Annie purchased a new home for their growing family, and soon realized it was the perfect location to display the Messenger’s Christmas Land. That was 11 years ago, and they have hosted thousands of visitors throughout the holiday season since, even adding iconic new scenes, such as the fan-favorite one depicting Frozen characters. The Messenger’s Christmas Land is more than a family tradition. It’s a commitment to the community and an annual nod to nostalgia.

Visitors are welcome to view the displays at 9481 Prince Charles Street, located off Eden Church Road, every night in December from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m., until the day after Christmas. Parking is available at the PARDS North Park across the street. For the latest updates and any weather-related closures, follow The Messenger’s Christmas Land on Facebook.